Time and time again, we hear the common phrase that Antigua is slowly losing its culture. Some people believe that we have already lost it and instead of trying to revive and save the remnants of it, we try to adapt the cultures of other territories and claim them as our own. If we share this viewpoint, it is safe to say that soon enough, generation next will become oblivious to the elements of what’s left of our true indigenous Antiguan way of life. One such important relic is the Moko Jumbie.
The Moko Jumbie (stilt walker) was introduced into the Antiguan culture by Oscar Mason a few decades ago and later became a feature in the regular carnival celebrations. This tradition is not only practiced in Antigua, but also other Caribbean islands. The term Moko is said to be a derivation of the god “Moko” from West African tradition, while Jumbie is a colloquial expression for ghost or spirit. In Central Africa, the Moko also means healer. As such the West Africans view of the Moko Jumbie is as “a seeker or a protector” whiles the tallness symbolises “the power of God”. Thus, the Moko Jumbie was said to be able to see evil before it came and would then have the ability to warn the villagers. Originally, the costume which in the very early stages was made of crocus and flour bags has evolved to ‘found material’ strips but over a period of time, the costume has advanced in style and colour to suit the theme.
This tradition has lived on for quite some time and was continued by Mr. Moves and later revitalized by the Vitus Mas Troupe, who saw the need to repeatedly incorporate the cultural artform into the Monday and Tuesday Carnival Mas Parade. It is important to note that this was probably the only time that the Moko Jumbie was ‘celebrated’. People from different walks of life usually had an appreciation for the Vitus’ tradition of skellyhoppers, john bulls, sensei and masqueraders but the Moko Jumbie was by far that one feature that continually wowed visitors and locals alike. Their uniqueness, their height and their colourfully bright costumes canvased the skies from very far distances when troupes would parade on the streets of St. John’s. Moko Jumbies were welcomed by all from the scared or stunned infants and children to the fascinated visitors to our shores.
As time progressed though, interest seemed to waver more and more and this has now led to ask the question… “Has the Moko Jumbie artform lost its relevance in today’s Antiguan society?”
Depending on which side of the coin you are, the answer may vary. Many may share the view that it is still relevant and that it is our duty to educate and keep it alive, while there are others who think that there are more important features within the Antiguan culture that need to take centre stage and only when we begin to take action to revive those then everything else will fall into place. As a twin island state that has already begun to evolve culturally and is slowly losing its cultural identity, it is almost shameful to say that if the moko jumbie is not protected, that too will catapult into losing another important feature that will never be known by generations to come.
We sometimes as a people take things for granted and do not appreciate these staples in our culture until we lose it. We look at the person who played the saw, the comb or the fife, and instead of the preservation of these unique talents, we either take them for granted and not pass on the information to generations that come after. These things make us unique. These features distinguish us from the other territories, and should we continue to ignore their relevance, we will eventually suffer from deprivation and have no sense of community or belonging in the cultural sense. Other people argue that there appears to be an apparent disinterest by millennials to learn the art form and this is stifling its growth. As a result the same people are repeatedly performing the same displays over time and as such there is no continuity. To answer the question, “Has the Moko Jumbie lost its relevance in Antiguan society?” The answer is simply no. When mas was previously played, the tale of the Moko Jumbie was said to play mas to collect coins and gifts, and the advantage was that they could collect from the balconies as they passed by. Today, the Moko Jumbie plays just to have fun and show off skills like danc- ing on one foot, or 360 degree spins and so forth. Having seen that transition, it is safe to say that the time has come to now study the trend and see what is next to further an advancement in the style of the ‘now evolved society’ that we live in today.
The appeal needs to be taken to millennials and generation next, though perhaps in a different form. Appeal will only grow stronger this way.
Whereas this may hold through though, there are still those who may argue that other countries like St. Kitts and St. Lucia managed to maintain their original traditional styles of the masquerades and belé respectively. Whereas, this may be true and there is still a strong presence of that aspect of the culture, I think it is important to note that Antigua’s advancement has been changing with the many nationalities that are currently migrated there. As such it became even easier for generations like generation X and millennials to select the elements that they like and make adjustments to their personal life, which then puts a swing on things and can possibly be responsible for the erasure of the indigenous elements of the culture.
In closing, bringing it back full circle, should we wish to maintain the Moko Jumbie as relevant to the Antiguan culture, it is totally important that we teach and retain the traditions by not only having it performed during Carnival time, but create other avenues where we can teach the artform all year around or create other avenues where the Moko Jumbie can be included. Some activities may be at other national festivals, football games, the annual Independence activities, sailing regattas and other such events. Remember relevance is dependent on you!
